Within the Wilderness
by LittleMoonStar
Summary: My character Mino and her story as ninja raised by wolves and later by Naruto and gang.
1. Chapter 1

One day, I woke up. But it was too late . . . I had already fallen. Floating down a raging river was easy. But staying alive was the hard part. I couldn't scream, I couldn't swim to safety. I was trapped in a raging hell of water. How I was still able to keep my head above water was beyond me. I had no energy left. The outcast shinobi's would soon be after me again. I needed to find safety, before it was too late. I figured that I had to find the slightest bit of energy to clumsily swim to shore. Another obstacle, finding energy, I had no more chakra in my body, so I couldn't hardly even lift a finger. Slowly though, with my aching muscles, I rolled over onto my stomach and limply doggy paddled myself to the dark, wet, sand on the bank. I rolled onto my back, feet still in the river and stared up at the night sky. It was a very cold winter night.

I soon felt the river again pulling at my legs and hated the feeling of being dragged back down into river and twitched my legs onto the bank. I had to get up; I had to walk to get warm. Struggling to my feet I was surprised that I could even support my weight. Though when I took one-fourth of a step, I tumbled back to the ground. I cursed under my breath and watched it float up in a warm cloud. That made me remember if I still wanted to survive I had to take off my clothes. It seemed strange, pulling off my clothes in the middle of openness. I braced myself once more and stood up. I took a step, still standing, barely, then another and another. I was sure that I had to find the forest that was at least two miles away. Could I really carry this soaked body all the way to the forest, through the snow and the ice? I wasn't sure, but I couldn't give up this far in the game. I trudged at least one and a half miles within an hour; though I had lost a lot of energy I still pushed myself into a jog or a run. Mouth dry, muscles at the point of exploding, I collapsed ten feet away from the forest. I couldn't give up after I was so close to a standing chance.

I thought about the irony, if I were to die right at the point of my destination. It was a sad, lonely thought but it put a slight weary smile to my face. I heard something howl in the distance, a wolf. _Oh great, I'll be eaten to death. _I thought. I still had my humor I gave a brief smile. The wolf, no older than a young cub ran to assist me. I felt a warm wet nose on my ribs. The wolf's tongue licked up and down my body, trying to get some warmth into me I could tell. The wolf cub stopped and stared at my hopeless body, it howled again and again. There was a faint reply and a black wolf came out of the forest. The alpha, I could tell, had come to help the younger wolf out. The two wolves nuzzled me and cuddled up to me. Their fur was rough, but warm.

They wrapped themselves around my near-hypothermic body and laid with me, I could feel the heat from their body enter mine. It was a nice feeling, this feeling of life. Sometimes the wolves would shift to keep themselves warm. I soon had the feeling back into my fingers. Once I was warm enough, the two wolves got off of me and nudged me up onto my feet. My tattered body, with burn marks, cuts, and bruises, staggered forward. When I'd give up and stop in my tracks the alpha wolf would push at my behind until I started moving again. I hadn't eaten in two days. My stomach growled at me as we neared a shallow cave. There were many other wolves; they all looked up when we entered. The alpha wolf, which I had named Isuka, padded over to a she-wolf and waited for me to come over. She had been suckling a few pups; I knew what he wanted me to do.

"Oh no, I couldn't, really," I pleaded. Isuka barked at me, demanding me to suckle from this she-wolf. Isuka's gaze hadn't changed so I gave in and lowered to my knees. Nearing the content she-wolf I found a nipple within the fur and drank. It wasn't my ideal meal, but it had done me good. Nasha, the she-wolf, was a little fearful of me at first, but as the days passed I became one of her pups. I still hadn't bothered with clothes; I was fine just walking naked with the wolves. The days with the wolves were quiet, while others strong enough went hunting with Isuka and I stayed behind to watch the pups with Nasha. Days soon turned into months and months into years, by now I could hunt with the others and it was near spring. No sign of the shinobi that had once stalked me, waiting to kill me. Gradually I lost my English and gained my wolf talk. I still knew English, but it was more common for me to speak with the wolves.

I hadn't thought about going to civilization. I was content with the wolves, they were my new family. We hadn't moved around much, for the sake of me and my little pup companions. I had named all of my family, for they had no name for each other. The cubs were Rascal, Tanya, Cara, Abby, Zingy, and the littlest one Ruton. They had all grown into fine adults. When it was Isuka's time to choose a new alpha because his time was up he had chosen Scar. Scar was one of the middle aged wolves that helped around with everyone. He got the name scar by battling a bear. He had won, except for a huge scar down his face. As I had named the pack, the pack had named me. I didn't mind. They called me Little Moon Star. They told me that it meant that I'd be lucky in life and death.

"Little Moon, I would like to speak with you," Isuka whined. I followed him into the den that I had made for him months ago, "You have become the most beautiful girl in the pack. But it is time that you left to join your own kind."

I was puzzled, "But I belong with you Isuka. I am not like the others; I have shown myself worthy of a wolf."

"You must go, Scar likes you and understands you the way I do, he wishes you a home with others like you," He murmured in his old age. "You must understand the pack will be moving soon once I pass into the Great Forest, and I am afraid that you may not be able to keep up."

"But Father, I wish to stay here, I can keep up with the others. I have won against all of the pack," I barked.

"One day there will be time where you need to mate, as all of us do. You will find no suitable male here Little Moon, as much as I hate to say it, you must leave this pack and start your own." Isuka spoke wisely and I knew it. I stared down at my hands not knowing what else to say.

"Where can I find the two-legs?" I asked hoping that he would not know.

"Four have been passing this place several times, they watch us and one with grey hair tells them to be like us. You, however, are never around when they come, Little Moon Star, you must find some deer and skin it. They wear not fur on there backs and would find it strange if you walked up to them as naked as a wolf," He answered plainly. I nodded solemnly and feared for the worst. That night, when the great moon rouse above the pack did I leave. I said farewell to my family and had one last meal with them. They were all heartbroken to see me leave; even the lone white wolf was long-faced as I left their lives for ever.

It had not taken long before I was regretful, a half mile away from the pack; I was on the pack borderlines. Deer was easy to find, the knife I made out of stone did well to scrape off the skin. I washed off the blood and tied it around me, my shawl was complete. Bare skin still showed, my legs, arms, neck still could be seen. I spent the night in a hole under a tree, the night was warm and the ground was moist. Leaves stuck to each other and when someone stepped on them they wouldn't crunch under their feet. But I still heard whoever was there, it wasn't an animal, it may have been a human.


	2. Chapter 2

"Sasuke, be very quiet, try not to make a sound," I heard someone say. I opened one eye to find two pairs of feet outside my underground den. I slowly shifted around and lay on my stomach with my hands resting under my chin. _What are they looking for?_ I thought. Moment's later one of them spoke softly, too soft for me to hear. Whomever it was that spoke belt down on one knee and was about ready to peer inside. I quickly scampered up the inside of the dead tree just in time to see a man's head poke into my tree. I climbed out of a hole near the top of the tree and shimmied across one of the large branches. I looked down from the branch and saw a boy about my age standing behind the man that was trying to find me. Quietly I grabbed for my bow and arrow and took aim in the darkness. The moon was at my advantage, I was in total darkness and a little light was shimmering upon them.

"Do you see the girl?" The boy, Sasuke, said.

"No, she's seems to had spotted us and fled," The man, Sensei, I think, whispered back and got up, "Something's not right about this, she couldn't have just disappeared into thin air, Sasuke, look carefully in the trees, she's most likely up there. I'll go and get Naruto and Sakura, don't let her get away."

I stayed perfectly still in the shadows and Sasuke nodded and his Sensei left the two of us alone, together. With my arrow pulled back all the way to its critical point I held it and waited for him to make his first move when he spotted me. I wished that I could easily howl to my pack to help me, but I was on my own now and the pack would have left by now. Sasuke stood motionless, listening I guessed. Squatting on the branch I too listened, focused on the person in front of me. Something snapped behind my right ear and I quickly spun around to find Sasuke closing in on me. _How could he have seen or heard me? And who was down there_?I questioned to myself as something zinged past my face. There was no time to howl for help, so I growled deep within my throat and released my arrow.

A direct hit in the shoulder, but Sasuke ripped it out as if it was a mere thorn. I gaped at him and leapt down from the branch, the fake on the ground blew into smoke as I landed on it. Coughing I got up and looked for Sasuke, no sign of him to be seen. He must have been an expert with what he was doing for my wolf instincts didn't fool him. So I ran, I wasn't sure where, but I ran. Blindly I followed the sent marks left behind by others before me. They led me to a river. Panic filled my befuddled, blood rushed mind. My head pounded with the thought that I'd been in this situation before, but I knew I had to keep my head. As Sasuke and the Sensei reached me with two other's, a boy named Naruto and a girl named Sakura, I was about ready to jump in the river.

"Wait! We're not going to hurt you!" The girl shouted taking a step forward. I paused and turned on the group._ Were these the two-legs that Isuka was talking about? _

I wasn't sure so I growled back at them, "_What do you want with me?"_ I forgot that two-legs couldn't understand wolf speak. They stared at me, wondering what to do next. I smelled no fear in these two-legs so I spoke up again, this time in an old attempt of English, "Said . . . what you . . . wish for . . . ferm me," I stumbled but I got the message through.

"We want to take you back to the village, it's not safe out here alone," The Sensei said.

"Not . . . lone . . . pack nearby," I stammered again.

"Do you mean wolves? You live with the wolves?" He asked. I nodded once. "Well I need you to come with me," He looked at my deer skin shawl; it had hardened and was stiff.

A shook my head, "Rather . . . jump," I said.

"Don't be an idiot! We're going to take you back to our village even if we have to drag you! Believe it!" Naruto shouted at me.

"Calm down Naruto you moron. She's the one with the advantage right now so shut up," Sasuke pointed out.

"Look, if you come with us then we'll give a proper home and shelter," The Sensei said. I thought about it. _Well Isuka did say that I had to find the two-legs and go with them. But how will he know if I do not listen to him. Little Moon Star, I hope you know what you are about to do._

"You give me . . . shelter, food, all things I need?" I asked.

"Yes, you'll stay with me and train with my group, you'll be safe and you'll have friends," The Sensei assured me.

"Friends….,"I whispered to myself looking down at the ground, "Who you?" I asked thinking about the offer.

"I am Kakashi Hatake. This on the right of me is Sasuke Uchiha, in front of him is Sakura Haruno, and this in front of me is Naruto Uzumaki. What about you?" Kakashi answered.

"I called…Little Moon Star. I know of no… other name," I responded playing with my hands. Kakashi pondered this for a moment, the others did as well.

"I know! Aren't you that stray, runaway, Genin from the Hidden Waterfall Village? What was her name . . . Humachi Mino?" Sakura thought out loud and something struck in my brain. _That name . . . I – I know that name. Was it mine? Who am I? _I thought very confused.

"Very good Sakura, I think there might just be a connection between her and this young girl here. I'll do some further looking into it," Kakashi patted Sakura on the head smiling, "Little Moon Star, will you come with us before it gets even darker?" I nodded slowly, not too sure of what I was doing. I felt a sense that I should go with them, and so I did. They led me to a village, Hidden Leaf Village, it was a peaceful place, didn't look like much happened around there. I was very nervous, unsure of my surroundings, so I'd stop every so often to sniff at something. Sasuke, Sakura, or Naruto would have to encourage me that I was safe again. Then we came to this huge building were someone they called, Hokage, lived and worked. The man, Hokage, was old. Kakashi said that he was the third Hokage and he had returned to this position because the forth Hokage died. He didn't tell me why, Naruto looked troubled.

"And who is this that you bring to me?" The Hokage asked once we had stopped in front of him.

"This, what we think, is Humachi Mino. The missing girl from the Hidden Waterfall Village," Kakashi replied almost tonelessly. The Hokage stared into nothing for a while, just staring at me with unblinking eyes.

"Come here child," He demanded in an elderly voice. I stepped forward, "Do you have a name?" He studied me more now close up.

"I called Little Moon Star . . . in pack," I answered the man.

Kakashi raised his head, "She tells us that she was raised by the wolves a long time ago. They nursed her back to health and taught her how to hunt. Nothing, so far, has told us anything about whom she is or where she is from." The Hokage nodded slowly still thinking keenly. Then I noticed that he had spotted something on me and shown great interest in his eyes.

"Come closer, what is that tied onto your quiver?" He reached his hand out as I came closer and closer. He grabbed a piece of cloth that I had always had since found by the wolves, it had meant nothing to me. He looked at it and then at me, "You are…. Humachi Mino."

I was shocked, that was my name? I _had_ a name other than Little Moon Star! I didn't know what I should say, so I just stared wide-eyed at the old man in front of me. The others made no sound behind me; I think they were just about as shocked as I was. "Buh- but I . . . did not . . . this not be right . . . live with wolves . . . all life. At least . . . most of it." I stuttered.

"Child. You cannot deny your past," The Hokage answered.

"Well . . . what are we going to do with her now?" Kakashi asked stepping forward to me and putting his hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him confused. "I mean, are we taking her back to her own village or are we keeping her here with us?"

"I do not know. Give me a week to decide, until then she is your team's responsibility," He nodded his head and dismissed us. Kakashi scratched his head once we were back on the streets away from the building.

"Sakura . . . do you think she can stay with you tonight until we decide what we ourselves are going to do with her?" Kakashi asked as Sakura looked at me.

"I'll have to go ask my parents, but they'll probably say yes. But if they don't what are you going to do with her then?" Sakura replied and turned to her Sensei. I frowned; they were talking about me as if I wasn't even there, so I decided to answer for myself.

"I go back . . . to cave. I sleep . . . there until Great Star rises. Then stay with you until Great Star falls. I rather live . . . where home . . . used to be," I stumbled and they stared at me. Sasuke was the first to look away, done with his thought, he was strange to me. Something about him seemed a little odd to me. While the others stared, he looked away; his face was even a light shade of pink. They nodded and I ran off leaving my new pack behind. So my new pack name was Humachi Mino. I didn't like it as much as I did my first wolf given name. So I decided that I'd stick with Little Moon Star. I came to my den, it was empty and messy. There were scraps of den fur that smelled of my kin, but otherwise all traces of home were gone. I laid down in my den which I had shared with my furry brothers and sisters, I wept myself to sleep that night, howling longingly for my pack to return to me, but I knew it was too late. When I woke The Great Star was up, it had woken up before me, and my new pack would be waiting for me.

"She's not coming back, Kakashi-Sensei. We all know it," I heard Sasuke utter as I drew near to the village unknown.

"She will, just wait and see," Kakashi answered, I could sense he was doubtful himself. I climbed a tree near trying to only make a much noise a squirrel. The girl called Sakura looked up, our eyes met but she didn't really see me. As long as I didn't blink I'd be unseen. She looked down again, and I made my clever wolfish move.

"Ah!" Screamed the spiky yellow-headed boy. I had jumped on him growling in a playful tone. The leader of the pack didn't get the joke, he scolded me. I didn't understand . . . I was only trying to be friendly.

"Save the play time for later Mino," He barked at me.

I frowned, "Not Mino, Little Moon Star," I pouted stamping my foot and growled.

"We'll have none of that, let's go. It's time we started training," Kakashi dismissed our fight. I followed in silence, feeling like the outcast in the pack. I didn't understand why had they taken me in when they knew nothing about me?

I sat on a tree branch acting as pray while the other tried to stalk me, the male named Sasuke was quiet good…but the others were not. The female of the pack was ok, but needed some work. And so I sat there, watching and waiting. I could hear the alpha snicker as the others looked for me. I didn't understand why they'd think I was on ground. Sasuke was the first to find me, but I was too quick in the trees and fled him after a short chase. I heard him grunt with defeat, keeping an eye on him. He stared at me; I was just out of his reach. Our eyes met, I stared into his coal black eyes. This time he didn't look away . . . something was different. I first heard the other him after I had figured out this was only a clone. But, it was too late by then; he grabbed me by my waist bringing me down with him. He flipped around, now my back was facing the ground. I didn't know what to do but drop, I had been taught to hunt on the ground and in the trees . . . not in the air. My eyes got wide; I could almost feel the ground hit my back.

I smashed into the ground, my breath wheezing out of me. I gasped for air nothing coming into my lunges. I curled into a ball and shut my eyes trying to block out the pain. Tears formed in my eyes, the yelp lingering in my throat. I gasped greatly and opened my eyes, the others were staring at me, and so I stood up, wobbly and dizzy. I held my ribs, throbbing with pain. I was now angry at Sasuke. I took out my bone knife, barring my teeth and growling. He didn't seem the least bit threatened. I fixed my deer hide shall, adjusting my position. I growled deep within my throat.

"_You foul pup of a gizzard!" _I barked, they didn't understand me at all. I could tell they were beginning to get bored.

"Put away the knife Mino," Kakashi ordered as he looked at me with one eye.

"_For the last time! I'm not Mino! I am Little Moon Star! And I do not wish to stay part of this pack! For Great Star's sake leave me alone!"_ I snapped in wolf. I backed up, standing on the balls of my feet, ready to run. I could tell Kakashi sensed my urge to run; he put a hand out toward me, beckoning me to come back to the group. I slowly walked into a near by bush, all four watching me inventively. Whatever I was planning on doing, it had to be now. I threw my bone knife at the pack, they watched it and for that split second I darted away. But they were hot on my trail, right behind me. Sasuke reached for my shoulder as I glanced behind me. I dove under a bush just before he touched me. He said something under his breath that I couldn't catch. I was surrounded, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke were around me, but I couldn't see Kakashi. I then began digging, trying to dig a tunnel. But they kept shouting things to me, but never tried to attack. My instincts were telling me that they were only there distracting me. Something black zipped close to me, not knowing what it was I jumped into a tree as the black thing reached my shadow.

"Shikamaru, try again," I heard Kakashi say to someone knew.

Shocked, I paused and looked to see who Kakashi was talking to. I saw another boy about Sasuke's age but with a spiky ponytail on the top of his head. He smiled and winked at me, the black figure darted quickly at my feet and I jumped away, careful not to jump into one of the others. The thing scared me, this darkness that ran after me. I danced away from it time and time again, unable to take a short breath to get my thoughts. It was five against one, not something I was used to, I had always had the pack by my side whenever I needed them. But this new pack had a totally new idea of rough-play. I growled at the black thing as it followed me, something told me not to touch that thing, it would cause trouble. Running on all fours I looked behind, only to find my own shadow chasing me, I stopped, again confused. Where had the black thing go? I looked around me, all of my senses on top alert. I squatted where I was and closed my eyes, listening to the woods surrounding me. I listened to anything that was not made by nature or an animal. Then suddenly, I couldn't move. I opened my eyes trying to see what had me. A thick black line stretched from me all the way to the new boy, I had been caught.

Kakashi slowly walked up to me, "Well, well, have you learned a lesson Mino?" I grunted refusing to speak their language. "C'mon, don't be mad. You had some fun now it's time to get back to the Village." Again I grunted. Kakashi grabbed me just as the black thing faded; the others stepped out from where they had been hiding. He had me by the shoulders, my head was turned away from him, there was no way I was going to trust him. "Mino, please, don't be so childish." Kakashi said with a slight edge to his voice. I looked at him then, I growled and brought up a back leg and kicked him hard in the face. I dropped to the ground, on all fours and again took off running. This time I knew what was coming, I knew who I was up against. I heard angry shouts and calls behind me, but ignored them all, taking careful glances behind me, Shikamaru's odd shadow thing chased at me again. Suddenly I had to skid to a stop because Sasuke leapt right in front of me. But I had been on loose gravel and slid right into, I ended up on top of him. He seemed to have recovered quickly because the next thing I knew what that I was pinned under him, staring into my eyes. I could tell I had a very shocked expression on my face since he smirked. He pulled my arms closer to my sides and wrapped a strong thick rope around my body several times. I struggled, growling and huffing trying to break free.

"It's useless Mino, you can't escape," Sasuke said and picked me up by the ropes. He held onto me while the others caught up, Naruto was flushed in the face and looked jealous for my capture.

"Not Mino," I grumbled under my breath. I smiled for a moment, a plan formed in my clever mind. I stopped and Sasuke tried to push me forward.

"Mino cut out this foolishness and stop playing!" Kakashi ordered fiercely, glowering at me, my wolfish smile still on my face. It seemed that they hadn't seen the glint in my eyes. All at once I sprung into the air and used both of my feet to lift off on Sasuke chest, I heard the wind leave his lungs and he fell to the ground. As soon as I hit the ground I rolled to the left, an area that was unguarded. I began to sit up and jump to my feet when I couldn't move again, I had forgotten about that. Moments later I was completely tied up and unable to move in Kakashi's arms. Luckily I had not been scolded, but talked to. More of what do to and what not to do. The two – leg life was so full of rules that didn't make any sense to me. It was then that I learned about clothes. They brought me to a store full of the stuff that they were wearing, and they told me I had to pick something out to wear. I stared in my ropes, I didn't want to wear this stuff, but faintly remembered a river and taking my clothes off to stay alive. In the end I found some clothes that I liked a lot, but they didn't let me change until I bathed at Sakura's Den. I stared blankly at this weird thing that spouted water, dim memories formed in my brain and stood under the water. I wasn't used to the heat of the water and it shocked me at first. She didn't like it I could tell, but Sakura had to help me clean myself since I'd never really done it before. Once I was clean I clothed myself, again with Sakura's help. She and I did not talk much, there was nothing to talk about and I hardly knew the language. But maybe I should try and learn the language again.

"Sakura?" I said, she looked a little shocked.

"Um, yes?" She answered when I was finally fully dressed and looking at myself in the mirror.

"You teach me your speak?" I said heavy with wolf accent, I almost barked.

"You'll catch on once you hang out with us more, don't worry Mino," She said confidently and led me out into the street again, I watched Sasuke stare at me and my new outfit, they called it clothes and I had to wear them. They seemed to limit the things I used to do. I didn't have full access to my flexibility as I knew that I did before. Their mother tongue was weird, but almost familiar. Like I had known it before long ago and had just misplaced it somewhere in my mind. By the time we'd finished our training the Great Star was above my head. Sasuke had been very weary of me the whole time; maybe he was second alpha in this pack? It seemed Naruto and Sasuke fought often about this position. And most often times Sasuke won. I was sore all over. This new type of exercise was indeed tiring. I lied on the soft grass of the training field we were in. I had decided I was done. Kakashi was not happy with my decision.

"Mino, we're not finished yet, get up!" He barked at me. I could only see the dark smudge outside of my eye lids. He blocked out the Great Star from my view.

"Not want," I muttered back to him not caring to open an eye. I heard Kakashi grunt and move away from me, maybe he had submitted to me for once. I t got quiet after that, I wasn't sure if my pack had left or if they had something in store to get me up to train more. I didn't want to open an eye, but a knot started to form in my stomach that ate at me till I had to succumb to the temptation. All that was before was a vast sea of white puffy clouds that completely overlapped once another. I connected myself to the massive jumble of whiteness, a mix of every emotion and thought ever since I had started this new life. My tongue gently ran itself over my lower lip while in thought, my eyes searching for the answer amongst the formation of clouds. I had forgotten about my pack, my thoughts prevailing against the gut instinct to investigate the quiet situation on the ground. Something warm and wet dripped from the corner of my eyes, my breathing stuttered every so often and I shivered. I didn't know what was wrong with me, I swiped away the wetness and looked at it, confused I held a hand out to the sky, I hadn't felt any rain. More of these weird wet streaks fell from my eyes, this time with small mutters escaping my mouth. I was overcome by an extreme sadness, once that I hadn't felt since the night that my real pack had announced that they were leaving me behind. I decided that I was slowly falling apart, like the old sick Moose did before we killed them. I sat up, watching these watery things drop to my bare legs. Miserably I looked to the skies again, begging for answers or clues. My shivering became more violent, I was alone again, abandoned by a pack I had hardly known. With each new thought more and more streams fell from my eyes. Some got into my open mouth, the flavor was salty, like the little fish my brothers had taught me to catch. I covered my eyes with my palms the sad noises growing greater and greater with each heave of breath.

A hand touched my back lightly and the water ceased for that small amount of time that I looked up. It was Sasuke; he looked back at me with questioning eyes. I hadn't ever seen such eyes, but there they were, staring down at me. I curled myself into his arms as he sat closer to me. The water works started again, more violent than before. I clung desperately to his shirt and buried my face into his shoulder. Sasuke stayed there with me, in my pitiful state, the Great Star fell beyond the trees once my shaking stopped. The whole time he was with me he said not a word. He just held me and kept me warm. It almost seemed unlike him, the fighting, glaring expressions he shared with Naruto were not in his emotions now. I was so tired when I finally stopped heaving. Sasuke helped me up and braced an arm around me. My eyes were too numb to really see much, so I let him lead me like a blind old person. I sniveled every now and then, but the waterfall from my eyes had stopped. I couldn't remember ever feeling so lonely, so helpless. My thoughts drifted as we walked back into the village, the night sky bright over head with a thousand peaceful eyes watching over us. A dream of some sort washed over me like a thick, cold fog and my whole body grew numb, but this did not prevent me from my snail-like pace with Sasuke. I felt like was alone in a strange wood, I could hear water rushing and my heart pounding wildly in my chest. I glanced down at my hand, now small and plump with a tender young age. What I saw as I looked down at myself was blood, cuts, and forming bruises. I didn't cry out though, through the pain I gritted my teeth and looked behind me, desperate from the dark cloaks behind to have stopped chasing me. Whether I saw them or not I turned and kept running, getting closer and closer to the water that I could hear.

Everything seemed so strangely familiar in some way, like I had actually gone through this myself. I was after all seeing it with my own eyes. When I came to the river I glanced back behind me once more. I could feel hot tears stream down my cheeks as my little brain told the rest of my body what it had to do to get away. Two gleams of metal passed by my face and I jumped into the rushing water.

My little dream state ended after I jumped into the water. My attention was brought back to the wood of a door, Sasuke still holding me up. My senses were brought back to the image of my woods, I had forgotten that I was still sleeping at my old den. I nodded to him and he let go of my weight, I braced myself to crash and fall onto my knees, but I didn't. I glanced at Sasuke, unsure of what humanly gesture I should do next. I think he understood my puzzled look because he shrugged, turned and started to walk away from me, all this without saying one word at all to him. Just as Sasuke's comfort and warmth left my body a cool night breeze reassured me that in a short walk I'd be home.

Even if my family wasn't there to sleep with me, I knew that I was safe. I looked around my den; it appeared that no other creature besides myself had stepped through this area. Prey must still think our clan remains in this area because of my scent. Walking a little ways more into my home I squatted and peeked cautiously into my den. All I saw besides darkness was my sleeping furs. So I crawled in without anymore fuss and snuggled into my warm furs that smelled of my kin. I didn't recall dreaming that night, only the sense of an ongoing tossing and turning as my mind boiled over with thoughts and memories. In a half trance I heard people outside of my den, whispering louder than the wind that carried over the mountains. My eye flickered open and I breathed out heavily as if I had turned over into a new sleeping position. I watched my breath fade away out into the cold air outside of my den. With eyes still full of sleep and dream I got up onto my elbows to listen better to the sound waves that vibrated off of the den walls. Still I could not make out the whispering, but a new sound was added. The shuffling of feet was apparent and it did not seem like the intruder intended on keeping itself a secret. Lazily my head flopped back down onto my furs and I tried hard to regain consciousness, but slowly my mind clouded over and sleep took me over again.

When I woke fully this time I had forgotten all about the voices and feet shuffling. All I could think about now was my hunger. I needed to hunt, the two-leg food was weird and made my skin feel slick and sticky. So I got up reluctantly and rubbed the last bits of sleep from my eyes. I stretched and ruffed at my scruffy matt of hair. Sakura was going to try and put a brush through it again today. I let my hand drop to my side and watched as the Great Star wink at me from time to time from behind the large trees letting me knowing that it was time to get up. The others, I knew, weren't going to be awake until much later, but I wasn't planning on going to training today anyway. Not after what happened yesterday. Today was a day to sulk like I did whenever my kin barked at me for not keeping up or eating too much kill. I took a small step forward, testing the dirt beneath my right foot for any movement underground. I could feel a rabbit nearby with her young; they would be rather easy prey for the time being. I didn't want to try and take a deer down by myself just yet. So I hunted, its quietness brought back the memories of the old times. Occasionally I would look to my pack for guidance, only to realize, that I was alone. So I stopped in my tracks and watched the forest around me. Everything was so in place, everything was in balance. But there I was, alone and out of place. I didn't fit anywhere, not in the village with strange ways or here, right in the woods where I had grow up. Wetness filled my eyes a bit, just at their corners, threatening to spill over like yesterday.

I hung my head, completely unsure of what it was that I was meant to do now. Everything had seemed so right before, up until Kakashi and his pack took me in and before Isuka left this world for the Great Woods. Deep in my thoughts I chewed at my lip, forgetting my hunger. Forgetting that I was out in plain sight of any attackers, not that I was worried about finding any. I had always been safe in these woods; it had always been my home. Slightly lost among my thoughts I smelled something human, but not something I had smelled before. I wasn't sure who was out there, but they were trying to conceal themselves, even if it failed. That's when I spotted them, to their dismay. They were young and small, younger than Naruto most likely. The three of them, two boys and a girl, were crouched under a bush staring at me. These three reminded me of my brothers and sisters when they were younger so I pretended to ignore them.

I heard them snicker, why I hadn't spotted them earlier was beyond me, these three were sorry ninja's, but then I wasn't a ninja either. I was a wolf. I whipped around, pretending to still be looking for something out of ordinary; I heard the almost silent foot falls of the kids. Not quite sure I knew what I had planned I leapt into a run, catching them off guard, I hadn't had fun with young ones in a while, Isuka had been too old make any more pups. I heard them hot on my heels, but I was too fast for them and darted out of their vision. I crouched underneath a large broken tree branch and waited for them to show themselves. I waited for a long time, longer than I expected, but they never came. My fun was over for the time being and again I was drenched in paranoia. A twig behind me snapped making me jump to my feet.

"Well Mino, long time no see," Someone in a long black cloak said sinisterly to me. I caught a glance at his eyes; they were red with three little black sixes in them. My breath caught in my throat, my hand had already drawn my weapon, though I couldn't feel it in my hands.

"Itachi, it seems you've scared her again!" Another, blue shark like person chuckled and my eyes darted around me, looking for an escape. My home was no longer safe, _I_ was no longer safe. And I was alone. A spark hit me with full force, I could still run in the direction I came from, but I couldn't find the strength to move. I was frozen, but it didn't seem like they knew about it. And it was odd, I remembered them from somewhere, in a far away past that I couldn't recall.

"Sa- Saku-Sakura!" I screamed with my eyes wide and full of utter terror, her name being the only thing that came to my mind in that instant. I ducked into a small ball, my body now able to do something more than just stand and gawk at my attackers. I hadn't ever felt so helpless, so much like a pup when it still lingered blindly within the den.

"Now, Mino, let us finish what we started long ago," The man named Itachi spoke calmly and reached a hand toward my forehead. I couldn't think, my mind and heart was racing rapidly and the first thing that reacted was my mouth. I bit Itachi hard on the hand, instantly drawing blood. Itachi gave a small grunt and a sigh, as if the bite has come from a mouse. With one single and very swift motion of his free hand he jabbed right into the soft spot on my jaw bone. I heard a pop and I immediately let go, pain took over my shock and my hands flew up to the burning area on my face. More of the familiar wetness surrounded my eyes making everything blurry, but I saw clearly Itachi's hand reach for me again.

"Why must you take so long Itachi?" His companion asked impatiently and shifted his weight to his other foot, but I almost didn't detect it. Like he had prophesized something help must have come to my rescue, Itachi's gaze shifted from my blurring eyes to somewhere behind me. I however was still stiff with fear, but I was shaking now.

"It seems we must part again, Mino," A sigh came from Itachi and they started to walk off, shouting behind me brought me back to reality. I was alone, with Sakura and Kakashi rushing in with worried looks on their face. I glanced around, my breath caught in my windpipe and stuttered out of my mouth. My mind was boggled and my eyes spun faster than I wanted, I became ill feeling and I threw up just as the two neared me. I was put on the ground by Kakashi and he was talking to me, but all I heard was muffling and nonsense. The cool ground withered under my heated body, my breathing slowed to choking, rasps as I fought for air and control. I was out before I had the chance to say anything.


End file.
